Head covering



Jan. 25, 1938. R LIPTON, 2,106,570

HEAD COVERING Filed May 18, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR u5v z/pro/vBY fm r- ATTORNEYS Jan. 25, 1938. N' 2,106,570'

HEAD COVERING Filed May 18, 1957 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV ENTOR fflfiyl/pro/v ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 25, 1938 oNrrso STAEES OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to wearing apparel, especially to head coverings,and more particularly to size adjustable head coverings.

It is a constant problem in the millinery trade to provide every styleof hat in every needed size. The vast number of styles which aresimultaneously in vogue renders it well nigh impossible for the millinerto have on hand at one time even a majority of the current styles in allthe sizes which may be demanded. Accordingly wholesalers and retailersof hats are reduced to the necessity of omitting sizes and styles fromtheir lines, thus reducing the attractiveness of their stock and itssaleability.

It is an object of this invention to provide a head covering the size ofwhich will be adjustable to the head size and contour of the head of theweare', and to accomplish this purpose without interfering with thestyle or appearance of the head covering to which the adjustable elementis applied.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a head covering inwhich the trim or decoration shall be utilized for the purpose of sizeadjustment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a head covering with apartially openable crown and a tongue of material similar to that usedin the crown incorporated with the opening so that the crown may beopened to the extent necessary to suit the head size of the wearer, andthe supplemental tongue will cover the opening which would otherwise beleft exposed.

Another object of this invention is to provide 33 a head coveringadjustable to the size of the head of the wearer, having a completelyopenable crown.

In the drawings which illustrate one embodiment of my invention and forma part of this specification,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the head covering with the sizeadjusting device broadly extended for purposes of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the head covering of this inventionwith the size adjusting device in position as it might appear on thehead of a wearer;

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation showing the ultimate disposal of thetrim;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing an optional form of myinvention;

Fig. 5 is a top view in perspective of the size adjustable device of myinvention as applied to a head covering with a completely openablecrown;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary View of an optional device for control of thetongue.

For purposes of illustration and disclosure, the device of thisinvention is shown as applied to a brimmed soft hat but the illustrationis in no 5 sense limiting as the adjustable means may be suitablyapplied to any sort of head covering of any suitable material, with orwithout brim.

In pursuance of the objects of the invention, a hat H with crown I2 andbrim i3 is provided with a cut or opening 5 4 in the crown, which mayextend from the band of the hat, toward the top of the crown, for aconvenient and suitable distance. The brim l2 difiers from usual hatbrims in that it is not connected all the way about the crown, but atone point, which may be the rear of the hat, curves inward toward thehead and meets the base of the crown at substantially the point wherethe opening occurs in the crown.

In the brim adjacent either side of the open- 20 ing or in the crown atsubstantially the same position may be placed cuts or slits I5 in thematerial. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, there is a double cut in one sideof the brim and'a single cut in the other, but the number of cuts soplaced H is subordinate to the purpose accomplished.

Attached to the opening edges of the brim, or, if desired, to the edgesof the slit in the crown on either side of the slit are ribbons it,which in the completed form of the hat serve as trimming or decorationl1 and hence may be widely varied in character to suit this purpose.

In adjusting the hat to fit a particular head size, each ribbon i6 isinserted through the slits on the opposite side of the opening from it,and the ribbons are then drawn together, causing a closure of theopening is until the hat is drawn snugly about the head.

The ribbons are then disposed about the lower part of the crown untilthey meet on the opposite side of the hat, or at other convenientstations, and are there tied or otherwise detachably fastened, thusholding the position of the hat as determined by the head size. When theproper size has been determined, the tie ll of the ribbons It may besuitably attached by stitching or the like to the body of the hat, thusmaking the adjustment permanent. If the wearer prefers, no permanentstitching need be made, and the hat may be adjusted anew each time it isput on.

In order to hold the trimming ribbons 16 in place about the crown, loopsI8 may be provided which in the form shown are strips of ribbon,stitched to the body of the hat at either end, and 55 left free in themiddle, under which the trimming ribbons may be inserted to retain themin place about the hat. This feature is particularly desirable in abrimless head covering, as the ribbons l6 are thereby held from slippingdown out of place. i v

As the opening is stretched wider, to accohiniodate larger head sizes, apart of the head is left uncovered. While this may be desirable,particularly in summer headwear from the standpoint of ventilation, itmay also be desirable that the opening in the crown not necessarilyleave a portion of the head uncovered.

To overcome this difiiculty, I provide the tongue l9 which may be anysuitable shape or material, but is preferably of the same material asthe remainder of the hat, and of the approximate shape of the opening inthe crown at its widest position. This tongue may be an integral part ofthe crown of the hat itself, the provision of which would be a simpleproblem in cutting for a skilled milliner, or it may be a separate pieceof material, incorporated into the crown by stitching at a convenientposition as along one of the edges of the slit.

To avoid any possibility of buckling or folding of the tongue l9,various means. to hold the tongue against the inside of the band andcrown of the hat may be employed. Thus in Figs. 1 and 2 are shown twoslits 20 through which one of the ribbons l6 may be inserted, into oneslit and out the other, thus engaging the tongue and preventing itsfolding back and leaving the opening uncovered.

The tongue may also be held in position by means of a third ribbon 2|which is attached to the outer edge thereof, as shown in Fig. 4, and maybe suitably led out through a slit in the crown or brim and tied withthe ribbons H3.

The tongue may also be prevented from folding by means of any suitablefasteners attached to the tongue itself and engaging complementaryfasteners on the brim or crown, or vice versa.

In Fig. 6 this fastening is shown as a tape or ribbon 23 suitablyattached to the edge of the tongue I9 by stitching or the like, on whichis mounted an adjustable sliding fastener element 25 adapted to bepositioned upon the tape or ribbon 23 relative to the position of thetongue 19 and inserted through one of a plurality of slits 24. The endof the ribbon 23 may be folded over to form a stop which will preventthe disengagement of the adjustable sliding fastener element.

The features of the head covering of this invention may also beincorporated in a hat which has a completely openable crown. Thisvariation of the invention is preferably designed so that a hooklessslide fastener will be the means whereby the portion of the crown notalready slit for the purpose of size adjustment may be opened. Thus, asis indicated in Fig. 5 the hookless slide fastener or zipper elements 26will be fastened to a slit in the crown which will run from the topmostposition reached by the size adjusting slit 14 over the top of the crownto the base thereof in the same direction as the size adjusting slit.This variation also contemplates a hat which will be divisible into twopieces since the zipper element may be run through the brim as well.

In adjusting this variation of the invention to the head of the wearerthe hookless slide fastener elements 26 are preferably first engaged.Size adjustment is then made in the manner described and then the zippermay be operated to open the remainder of the crown as the wearer maydesire.

The form described above and shown in Figure 5 is specifically coveredin my co-pending application, Serial No. 169,873 filed October 19, 1937.

While I have illustrated and described in detail certain preferred formsof my invention, it is to be understood that changes may be made thereinand the invention embodied in other structures. I do not, therefore,desire to limit myself to the specific construction illustrated, butintend to cover my invention broadly in whatever form its principle maybe utilized.

I claim:

1. A new article of headwear comprising a crown having a radial openended slit in the side thereof forming an adjustable opening, a brim, atongue for said opening carried by said crown and having the lowerportion thereof extending outwardly beyond the periphery of the crown,and adjustable tying members attached to the brim on each side of theopening for adjusting the size of the hat to the head of the wearer,said tying members cooperating and interengaging with the lower portionof the tongue to retain the same in flattened condition on the head ofthe wearer.

2. A new article of headwear comprising a crown having a radial openended slit in the side thereof forming an adjustable opening, a tonguefor said opening carried by said crown attached to one side of theopening and having the lower portion thereof extending outwardly beyondthe periphery of the crown, and adjustable tying mem bers attached oneach side of the opening for adjusting the size of the hat to the headof the wearer, said tying members cooperating and interengaging with thelower portion of the tongue to retain the same in flattened condition onthe head of the wearer.

3. A new article of headwear comprising a crown having a radial openended slit in the side thereof forming an adjustable opening, a tonguefor said opening carried by said crown, adjustable tying membersattached on each side of the opening for adjusting the size of the hatto the head of the wearer, and guide means carried by the tongueengaging the tying members.

4. A new article of headwear comprising a crown having a radial openended slit in the side thereof forming an adjustable opening, a tonguefor said opening carried by said crown and adjustable tying membersattached on each side of the opening for adjusting the size of the hatto the head of the wearer, the lower portion of the tongue being slittedto receive the tying members therethrough.

RUBY LIPTON.

